Associate of Arts in Anthropology Merritt College

Anthropology is the comparative study of human diversity. Throughout thousands of years of human civilization in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe, we have evolved and developed diverse cultural strategies to adapt to our environments. In Anthropology, we value the incredible complexity of the human species and study every aspect of what it means to be human.

In anthropology, students develop a critical analysis necessary to become world citizens, through studying a multitude of interrelated elements of what makes humans unique among all creatures on Earth. Unlike other social sciences, which often focus narrowly on only a few aspects of humanity, anthropology offers an integrated study of human culture, society, biology, and communication, from the time of our earliest evolution until the present moment.

A study of anthropology at Merritt College is intended to provide students with knowledge and appreciation of the diversity of cultural and biological contributions to human adaptations, in the past and in the present.

This degree will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the major course requirements below, and the General Education Requirements. To qualify for the Anthropology Associate in Arts degree, students must satisfactorily complete the major requirements specified above and the local AA/AS general education requirements.

Peralta Colleges/Faiza Ali

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Analyze human biological and cultural adaptations, including the different factors that have affected and continue to affect humans biologically and culturally.
• Analyze the factors that cause modern human biological and cultural diversity and demonstrate an appreciation for, and sensitivity to, human biological and cultural diversity.
• Understand and apply the scientific and methodological approaches necessary for conducting research in the interdisciplinary fields of anthropology.

Degree Requirements:

Required Courses:

• ANTHR 1 Introduction to Physical Anthropology 3
• ANTHR 1L Physical Anthropology Laboratory 1
• ANTHR 2 Introduction to Archaeology and Prehistory 3
• ANTHR 3 Introduction to Social and Cultural Anthropology 3
• ANTHR 5 American Indian History and Culture 3

MATH 13 Introduction to Statistics 3

Elective Courses (Select 2 from the following):

• ANTHR 4 Ancient Civilizations: Aztec, Inca, Maya 3
• ANTHR 7 Magic, Religion, and Witchcraft 3
• ANTHR 13 Urban Anthropology 3

ANTHR 16 Sex and Society 3

Total Required Major Units for AA Degree: 23

Anthropology is valuable for people seeking careers in business, private and non-profit sectors, education, community service, criminal justice (and with further study, forensics and law), and government.

With added academic study and degrees, an anthropology degree is useful for the study of healthcare and medicine (epidemiology, public health, nursing, pre-medicine for a career as a doctor), museology, international development, city planning, linguistics, psychology, ecology, and archaeology and cultural resource management.